Areas of Interest

"Imagine downing half a pint of overproof rum and then going back to work. Now, let's imagine work happened to be on the decks of a vast 18th-century Royal Navy ship. We're talking old-school sea stuff here: complex knots, gunpowder kegs, canon balls, climbing up rigging, etc.

Feel a little woozy, eh? All thumbs, perhaps?

Well, folks, this is no fantasy. Until July 31, 1970, bracingly strong overproof rum was a vital part of the fabric of the British Navy—rationed, used as a currency, and a veritable way of life…"Main pagelink